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Breaking Out of the Clutter

We are surrounded by things. These things range from necessities, to gifts of all kinds (holiday, birthday, wedding, etc), things handed down to you from someone else, and things from your “want” list that were on sale or you just had to have. Accumulating things is a lot like gaining weight. You keep accumulating things and then one day your home is overloaded just like your favorite pair of jeans!

It can leave you wondering where the heck did all this stuff come from which is the common question when de-cluttering your home.

For homeowners who have lived in their homes for longer than 5 years, the struggle is very real. It can be incredibly overwhelming to have to go through everything especially if you are packing all of your things yourself. Here are some things to consider when tackling decluttering your home:

Start with ONE room at a time. If you think about your home as a whole, it can be incredible overwhelming. So it’s important to only focus on one room at a time.

Turn OFF the TV and turn ON some music!

Organize your space so you can be as efficient as possible with your time. Prepare several boxes/totes and have them lined up so you can be organized as you go.

Set aside 2 boxes. One box should be designated as your “Decision Box”. These would be items that you are not sure of and would like to think about. You can come back to them later after thinking on it. Designate another box for “Donations”. You can research local charity organizations for donations.

Grab a trash bag and have it ready to trash any items that you feel are trash.

When packing items and deciding what to do with it, hold the item and ask yourself the following questions:

1) How long have I had this item?

2) What does this item mean to me?

3) When was the last time I used this item?

4) What are my intentions for this item if I decide

to keep it?

5) Why haven’t I used this item?

If you still haven’t answered your question to keep it or sell/donate it – put it in your decision box & sleep on it. I recommend the 24 hour rule – come back to the items in your decision box 24 hours later and ask those questions above over again and you should be better at making the decision.

If you know in the Fall you’re going to be selling your home in the Spring, don’t wait! Even if you’re not looking to be selling in the near future, but need to clean out & organize still follow the same plan. Set a goal for yourself and make a plan to achieve it! Even if you are going to be selling your home quicker than expected, you can still set a good goal to get things done you will just need to do a little more, but still focus on one room at a time.

So just remember: create a plan and take one room at a time. My motto is “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. You will see things start to take shape quicker if you are organized, you manage your time, and can make decisions about what to do with your things. What’s the old phrase “if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything”?

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"At DM Home Transitions, I am dedicated to providing homeowners with all the tools necessary to transition their lives successfully. Downsizing can be stressful and weight bearing ~ so let me take that weight off of your shoulders and help you get to the next phase of your life one step at a time."